Skip to main content

The ESCAP Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness was established in 2005, originally to support tsunami early warning through a multi-hazard approach. This followed the destructive Indian Ocean Tsunami that occurred in December 2004, which stressed the need for an effective regional disaster preparedness mechanism in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. In 2010, the Trust Fund was broadened to encompass disaster and climate preparedness, and in 2015, it expanded its geographic scope to include SIDS in the Southwest Pacific.

Since its establishment in 2005, the Trust fund has promoted innovative pilot initiatives, scaled up successful early warning systems and facilitated regional cooperation, directly benefiting 19 countries. By pooling resources, the Trust Fund facilitates south-south cooperation to strengthen disaster resilience in high-risk, low-capacity countries and contributes to the global efforts towards Early Warning for All.